Crawford achieves goal

LOS ANGELES All spring, Carl Crawford made it clear his goal in returning from Tommy John surgery was to make his Dodgers debut on opening day.

Sure enough, he did so Monday, starting in left field and hitting atop the Dodgers' lineup in their 4-0 victory over the Giants.

Crawford hit three balls hard and went 2-for-4 with an eighth-inning double that started a three-run rally. His lone gaffe was a failed stolen base attempt in the first inning, but he said it was still a special, emotional day.

“It really was,” Crawford said. “This was one of the most exciting opening days I've been a part of. It was a feeling I hadn't had in a while.”

Crawford, 31, was met with skepticism when he announced his plan to start April 1, and his late start to the spring didn't help. But he kept with it.

“I'm not that surprised,” Crawford said. “I knew that the way I was working, that was the goal I was trying to get to. I can't say I knew for sure, but I'm not that surprised that I was out there for opening day.”

Said Manager Don Mattingly: “Carl has a chance to really change us. This guy can really go. I've seen this cat for a few years in the American League and he can do some things.”

SELLERS MAKES DRIVE

Justin Sellers tried to go to sleep early at his Huntington Beach home Sunday night because he knew the 40-mile trek ahead of him to Dodger Stadium necessitated an early start.

But the Dodgers shortstop was too excited to sleep.

“I was waking up, looking at my clock and looking at my clock again,” he said. “The time was moving so slow.”

Sellers made his first opening day start for the injured Hanley Ramirez. He went 0-for-4 with a strikeout, but made several smooth plays in the field.

BILLINGSLEY REHAB

Right-hander Chad Billingsley, who opened the season on the 15-day disabled list because of a bruised finger, will make a rehab start for Class-A Rancho Cucamonga on Thursday. That could put him on track to make his regular-season debut April 10.